283. Editorial Note

The Senate Finance Committee discussed H.R. 7030 after Congress reconvened in January 1956. In testimony before this committee on January 16 Holland underlined the negative impact of H.R. 7030 on Cuba's economy and inter‑American trade and repeated the Department's recommendations. For text of Holland's testimony, see Department of State Bulletin, January 30, 1956, pages 172‑174. On February 9 the committee approved an amended bill which allotted Cuba a 33.8 percent share of increases in consumption above 8,350,000 tons effective retroactively to January 1, 1956. This amended version of the bill was forwarded to the Senate shortly thereafter. The conference bill which passed Congress on May 17 became the Sugar Act of 1956, Public Law 545 (70 Stat. 217), when signed by the President on May 29. The new act extended the Sugar Act of 1948 until December 31, 1960, and was retroactive to January 1, 1956. It raised the quota to 8,350,000 tons and provided that increases in consumption exceeding that figure would be divided 55 percent to domestic and 45 percent to foreign suppliers. Cuba's share of the allotment to foreign suppliers remained at 96 percent, with 4 percent to other full‑duty countries throughout 1956, but thereafter, Cuba's share would be reduced to 29.59 percent.